


A Political War

by Hitomi_Zotz



Series: A Political Affair [2]
Category: The West Wing
Genre: Affairs, American Politics, Drama, Drama & Romance, Dysfunctional Family, Extramarital Affairs, Family, Family Drama, Political Campaigns, Politics, Romance, Scandal, Sex, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-12 12:40:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29010681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hitomi_Zotz/pseuds/Hitomi_Zotz
Summary: The sequel to A Political Affair. It's election season and the race is running close between the Democrats and Republicans but for those who can't aim for the throne there are still seats in the Senate, one of which the Democrats fear Cadence McGarry's Republican boyfriend Tom Landis is after. Cady finds herself back in D.C caught between the two sides as Jed & John both want her back for P.R. John argues that her gift for gaining him good publicity may be crucial for the election.Realising she's missed the exhilarating thrill of D.C and bound for there by Tom's choices, Cady determines not to be a stay at home girlfriend but the trauma that made her leave still haunts her and Tom isn't too eager to have her near the V.P.
Relationships: John Hoynes/Original Female Character(s), Mallory O'Brien/Sam Seaborn, Zoey Bartlet/Charlie Young
Series: A Political Affair [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2128218
Kudos: 3





	1. Timing

Timing was key. It was a simple phrase but it made a lot of sense. In the world of politics timing could make the difference between a great career and a doomed one. Timing could create suspicion, scepticism, accusations and intrigue. One could use convenient timing to bury a troublesome story in a ream of feel good stories for example or put out the tale of scandal of a rival to detract attention from one's own problems. The problem arose if one's own scandal was just a little too big to be ignored.

There was also set timing, the one you couldn't change, such as the timing that dictated every three years the weary world felt a slight stirring in America as a whisper of 'election' began to pick up. Sometimes, if one anticipated landslide victories, then the murmur came late and only half-enthused, sometimes if a candidate overestimated themselves it came early as a loud, boisterous war cry that more often than not became hoarse and hollow towards the end of the year slog.

In this case the stirring for the election had come in the wake of an announcement. A confession that there was really no good timing for. The sitting president, Jed Bartlet had announced to the world that he had M.S and worse, it was a fact he had kept it private not just from the public but from most of his close aides and friends as well. Even worse again, his wife Abbey, a licenced doctor, had been treating him, which in private might seem okay but in the public it brought up many questions of professionalism. The icing on the cake of treachery was that Vice President Hoynes had known as well.

Poor Vice President John Hoynes, too crafty for his own good, he had been the one who had dropped the crumbs that led to the confession. He had struck a deal with Jed in the days of his defeat as a candidate for the presidency, an agreement to be Jed's running mate because Jed had M.S so Jed would surely only rule for one term. Jed had vowed it, to John and Abbey, two of his confidants drawn into his web of deceit. Knowing that he had lied to them, had the Republicans cackling quietly and openly wondering if Jed could be honest with anyone and what other secrets he might have.

John had made moves that suggested a planned run for presidency as the three years waned into Jed's fourth and potentially final year in the White House. In fairness to John, Jed had neglected to state he was considering running again because Jed hadn't known for sure. Then had come the announcement in the wake of the M.S confession, Jed was running again. Time still had to tell if if making his declaration to run after humbling himself before the House was going to prove to be 'good timing'. 

In a show of bitterness at what Jed had perceived as John's betrayal, Jed had confessed to the world that John had known his secret. If gave John very little time to decide if he was going to run again for the runner up's position of Vice President, a role he loathed.

In the end, John and Jed were bound together again. Untrustworthy apart and forced to try and mend their broken relationship with the public again, they were both certain they weren't getting back into the White House without one another.

Timing, sometimes it could be shit. Although, it was timing that had saved Jed. A convenient call for resus by the Republican Majority Counsellor Cliff Calley, he had halted proceedings against the president just as another alcohol related scandal involving Leo was about to be outed. Cliff was a decent Republican unwilling to use mud slinging scandals to gain points for his party. It had brought the issue of the president's M.S to a better ending than the Democrats had hoped for.

Now they were in mid 2002 hitting late summer and it was game on with the Republicans and everyone knew timing might yet prove to be an asset or a fatal flaw. With Jed Bartlet's scandal out there and Republican candidate Robert Ritchie vastly gaining popularity, there was a strong sense in the air that there was going to be a real fight on hand for the White House.

Knowing all this was why the still bitter Bartlet team were trying to move past their outrage and grief to fight with all they had. As flawed as Jed could be and as personal as their hurt felt, they knew his apology had been sincere and from the heart. He was only human and still, in their eyes the best human to lead the country. It made them determined to give their all to their cause, which meant considering Jed's political allies, although the election for the presidency might be eclipsing it, there were a few seats in Congress up for grabs as well.

\---

In his usual state of excitable animation, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman considered how their current trip might appear on the surface. It was summer time after all, though one wouldn't know it in the fast paced, ever active White House but, for a rare change, the core staff of the White House were away from the D.C domain giving the appearance of being on a quaint trip to the coastal city of Chesapeake, Virginia.

Josh adjusted his dark sunglasses and grinned even as he heard C.J give a slightly wild shriek from behind as the spray of the water bounced through the railings of the boat they were on.

“Why are we on a boat?” C.J complained loudly.

“It's Chesapeake Bay,” Toby pointed out with a slight frown. “The clue is in the name.”

Toby Ziegler, White House Communications Director, was giving off the appearance of a storm cloud turned human. Dreary was almost a default mode for him but of late his dark pessimism had been switched for heated rage that he was struggling to let go of. Dressed in a charcoal grey suit he sat in the centre of the deck in the shade, head bowed as he scowled at the notes he was trying hard to prevent from blowing in the breeze.

“It looks good,” Josh said brightly as he cocked his head back to the press boat lingering behind them. “Good photos, good press, you know that C.J.”

“Why yes Josh, three years as press secretary has taught me a few things about good publicity,” she retorted sardonically. “However, I'm not sure that team building in Chesapeake is going to appear all that well. One might accuse us of..” She shrugged slightly before almost leaping forward to grasp the steel rails with another shriek as the boat jostled slightly on the water.

“Accuse us of what?” Toby yelled, trying to be audible over the engine.

“What?” C.J repeated as she attempted to push back some of her coppery-brunette locks with one hand. It was in vain as the wind whipped them up again.

The tall woman peered over the rail she clutched to the water below. It gleamed beneath the sunlight, shimmering with beams of white and sparkles of silver tainted with the foam from the movement of the boat. She leaned back to the boat suddenly, considering how easy it might be to tumble over for a soaking.

“What could we be accused of?” Toby demanded.

C.J glanced over her shoulder to Toby. “Slacking!”

Toby's frown deepened. “I'm not slacking,” he grumbled as he returned his gaze to his fluttering paperwork, barely held in place by his hands. “I'm against this trip but it's still hard work, no is slacking, no one should be slacking!”

Josh smiled again and shook his head. “Come on, we all know why we're really here.”

“To see Cady,” Sam commented innocently.

Sam stood to C.J's right observing their aquatic view calmly. He had been morose, a little annoyed to be separated from his girlfriend Mallory, relegated to what Josh had dubbed 'the workers' boat' whilst Mallory travelled in luxury with her father and the president.

Josh let out a laugh at this before he leaned over the railing to glance Sam's way. “Sure Sam, we're all here just to see Cady.”

“Well isn't that where we're going right now?” Sam quipped hotly as he gave his co-worker an irate glance.

Josh nodded as his grin widened. “Yes.”

“Well then.”

Sam folded his arms and immediately regretted the gesture as he almost lost his balance with the next wave of water the boat travelled over. He staggered with a barely held back cry and reached for the railing nervously with both hands.

Josh chuckled before turning his view ahead. He thought privately that it was a beautiful sight, greenery to the right of the boat and an endless stretch of beautiful turquoise and sapphire water to the left. There was a sense that nature dominated here as seagulls dove hungrily at the water and curious otters bobbed their velvety brown heads up to have a wary glance at the passing boats. It put Josh in mind of another person they were going to see today- former Congressman Tom Landis, boyfriend to Cadence 'Cady' McGarry. Tom had always insisted that Chesapeake Bay was incredibly beautiful and worth seeing and Josh had always nodded and said quietly 'sure' in a weak, false promise to visit never thinking he actually would.

Josh felt an unusual wash of complicated nerves as he thought of Tom. He had never really known had to feel about the man. Tom Landis was a Republican, a liberal but very proud of his political allegiances, which really should make him public enemy number one. He was also approaching forty and in a going on two years relationship with the much younger Cadence who was turning twenty-five in just two days. The age gap didn't bother Josh that much but Cadence's father, Josh's boss, Leo McGarry still hadn't come to terms with it and Josh knew if he didn't nod in occasion to Leo's rants about it he would be viewed as disloyal. It was difficult however because Tom was a charming, chirpy man who often found ways to find humour in their political division and he wasn't a congressman anymore, just a Republican citizen so he was far from Public Enemy Number One.

Tom had effectively given up his career for Cadence although at the time many would've argued as a liberal it wasn't much of a sacrifice on his part as he likely would have lost his seat anyway. The problem was that Tom Landis hadn't then become the forgotten footnote of the Republican party that everyone had expected him to.

Tom had taken sanctuary in his home of Chesapeake, bringing Cadence with him so she could recover from a series of traumatic ordeals encountered during her very brief role as the Vice President's Deputy of Public Relations, a role that hadn't seen such drama before or after Cadence. Perhaps the idea had been for Tom and Cadence to slip out of the public and political viewpoint but Tom's affable, charming and charitable nature, often cited as his weakness, had shone a little brighter than anticipated as he had thrown himself into helping his home city and suddenly, two years later, he was beloved by the public of Virginia.

Although Tom had tried to be low-key about the reasons behind his resignation from the House of Representatives it had leaked as the press had learned quickly that he was living with the infamously damaged Cadence McGarry and gathered that the 'something in his personal life' he had given as a reason for quitting had to be her. Unintentional as it was, it had proved something of a master-stroke for Tom as he was praised by the public for choosing his girlfriend's well-being over his own political ambitions.

Josh released the rail and headed over to Toby. He dipped his shades slightly as he leaned against the post Toby's bench was attached to. “How long do you think he'll have with Markway before it's noticeable?” Josh quipped quietly.

“Noticeable to who?” Toby retorted dryly as he continued to study his paperwork, frowning every time a spray of water sprinkled it anew.

“Cady and Tom,” Josh admitted. “If they think they're just a cover-”

“Josh,” Toby interrupted sharply as he glanced up to his colleague with an irate blue stare, “if it gets out that the president is meeting with Markway personally there will be a cry of favouritism and ill-feeling amongst the Democrats, which we most definitely cannot afford. We know what Landis is probably up to, which gives us no choice but to act fast with Markway.”

Josh sighed. “It's not right to use them Toby and Markway is an inept fence sitter.”

“He's the best we have for this state,” Toby muttered. “Josh you know the game, you start getting personal and you won't be cut out for another season.”

Josh frowned and pushed his dark shades up his nose with one finger. “Toby until Tom is back in the game he shouldn't be used and being in the political world is what caught trouble for Cady, finding out she's been exploited like this for politics might...well it might set her off again,” he concluded grimly as his voice dropped an octave.

Toby looked back up in surprise. His mouth wavered slightly, the left corner tipping up slightly before he forced back the smile trying to escape.

“Josh, you used to hate this girl, what happened?”

“I never hated her Toby,” Josh protested moodily. “I just didn't like the trouble she brought for Leo, intentional or not but I think we can both agree she has definitely suffered enough.”

Toby shook his head. “Josh, she's not made of glass and if you stop talking about it and follow the plan she will never know,” he added gruffly, letting his irritation fill his voice.

Toby cursed as another spray of water soaked him. “Damn it when will this boat ride end?”

“It's like A Small World Toby,” Josh jested as he stepped away his angry co-worker, “it doesn't end.”

\---

Cadence McGarry let out a soft sigh as she descended the last step of the staircase. She held out her arms before her and studied the pale pink lines marring them with a critical gaze. At the sound of footsteps she glanced up quickly. Seeing her boyfriend Tom Landis step out of the living room, only eased the wariness in her gaze slightly but the tension in her stance remained.

Tom's almost clear, blue gaze filled with surprise before he gave a grin that sloped upwards on the right side of his face.

“You look beautiful Cady cat,” he praised as he stepped up to her.

Tom grasped her hands in his own as his gaze locked with her uncertain blue-grey gaze. “Every inch of you Cady,” he said softly.

Cadence gave a weak smile at this. “I feel a little cold, maybe I should grab a shawl.”

“Cady it's warm.” Tom leaned down to her and gave her a gentle kiss. “Give it a chance please,” he pleaded as he leaned forward to her right ear, “you look lovely in this dress.”

Cadence nodded but her uneasiness remained in her stare.

Tom pulled back and flashed her another smile. “Would I lie to you?”

Cadence smiled back at him. “Only about Chessie, still haven't seen him yet.”

Tom laughed at this before releasing her right hand. He turned and began to lead her from the staircase to the living room.

“You're looking lovely too Tom,” Cadence praised. “Grey suits you.”

“Thanks, I'm trying to impress my girlfriend,” he joked.

“Hmm, just your girlfriend?” she pried with a coy look up to him.

Tom laughed. “Sure, although if other people think 'hey that guy's wearing a grey suit, he must be incredible' then that's a nice bonus.”

Cadence shook her head even as she smiled. She felt much of her tension slip away with the humour and her smile remained as Tom opened the living room door and led her into the room.

The living room fit in with the theme of the house- large, extravagant, always seeming vacation ready, impersonal, spacious and appearing as if it existed for a turn over of temporary guests to enjoy, never desiring to have people imprint upon it permanently. The living room was big and bright with floor to ceiling, glass bay doors that led out to a raised wooden balcony granting a generous view of a wide stretch of grass bordered by tall trees and populated with colourful wild flowers. The interior of the room was simple and elegant- white walls and a pale wooden floor, furnished with two royal blue couches, two matching armchairs, and an elegant dining table to seat eight. Paintings of various beauty spots around the Chesapeake Bay adorned the walls, two chandeliers glittered above, and a prominent fireplace set in white marble and silver inlay acted as the main feature of the beautiful but impersonal room.

Ordinarily there was little life in the room, Tom had always evaded it and Cadence had never quite taken to it, considering its space off-putting rather than relaxing. Currently it was enjoying a rare moment of playing host to six guests.

The six were careful not to openly react as Cadence and Tom entered the room. Instead they kept their conversations flowing, only one of them standing up to steal away from the small group. They were all natives of Chesapeake City who had, over the past couple of years, become friends with Cadence and Tom. Two of them had already known the former Congressman from his time living in the city in his youth but they made the effort not to discuss the past much instead working on a new bond with Tom and Cadence.

Molly, the brunette who had broken away from the others, greeted Cadence with a bright, cheery smile. “Hi Cady, that dress looks lovely, where did you get it?”

Cadence smiled back at Molly before glancing down at her attire again. It was a light blue, short sleeved frock with a pleated skirt that stopped above the knees to show off her slender legs except Cadence had attempted to conceal them a little with a pair of nude pantyhose that seemed a little unnecessary for summer.

“It was a little boutique store, The Silver Birch.”

“Oh I know it,” Molly enthused, “it has some beautiful things.”

“Well much as I love talking about clothes,” Tom murmured. He was interrupted by the doorbell ringing.

He cocked his head over his shoulder curiously before grinning back at the women. “Excuse me, I'll get that because Cady still insists on no maid.”

Tom released Cadence's hand as she berated him.

“Having a maid is incredibly snobby,” Cadence scorned.

She watched as Tom left before returning her attention to Molly and the others. She could see Dale glancing over with a small smile, ready to make his greetings. Cadence smiled back warmly, appreciating that her guests were just trying to give her space knowing she would settle with them on her own time.

Tom opened the tall, arched front door and stared out at the group curiously. He offered them a flash of his slightly crooked grin before quipping, “whatever you're selling I'm not buying.”

“Ha, ha,” Toby Ziegler scorned dryly. “Did early retirement make you want to try comedy?”

Tom clapped a palm to his chest with a mock wince. “Ouch Toby, that one almost stung but as you know I'm a Republican and we don't have hearts.”

Tom's grin widened as he pushed back the door at last.

C.J, lingering behind Toby and yet very much above him given her statuesque physique, couldn't resist a smile at Tom's retort. “Can I quote you on that for the election?” she remarked jovially.

Tom shook his head as he gestured for them to enter. “My quote is, 'give us a chance now we can't do any worse.'.”

Tom laughed as Toby tensed up with a bristle and hesitated on entering the house.

“Don't worry Toby, you won't burn, the house is half-Democrat, Cady still votes that way despite my very best efforts.”

“I don't know why I'm here,” Toby grumbled as he stepped in followed by C.J.

“For cake, there's cake right?” C.J remarked as she glanced back to Tom.

Tom made a point of looking past the entering Sam and remaining Josh to the empty gravel driveway behind them.

“Aren't there more of you?” Tom queried. “There should be more and with the cake. That was the deal, I didn't get political and pretended that Cady and I have separate bedrooms and Leo brought the cake and left the shotgun at home.”

Josh snickered at this. “He doesn't have a shotgun, now that's Republican.”

“He has a rifle and I've seen it,” Tom answered grimly. “Where is he though? More importantly, where is the cake and Mallory?”

“They're coming,” Josh assured. “They took a different boat, there are delays with the president's security, you know how it is.”

Josh offered a smile up to the Republican knowing that he wouldn't be fooled. Another problem with Tom Landis other than being a middle-aged Republican dating the daughter of a prominent Democrat was that he had an uncanny gift of insightfulness. Tom was rarely deceived by the masks people wore, often guessing at their worries before they even recognised them in themselves.

“Uh huh.” Tom folded his arms and stood in the doorway, blocking Josh from following after the others. “I'm sure the president is here in Chesapeake just for Cady's birthday too,” he mused, “and has no interest in a seat in the Senate opening up for this fine state.”

“None at all.” Josh's smile widened. “Tom, did you get a haircut? That would be for Cadence's birthday as well, right? You're not planning any public appearances that require a nice, sharp hairdo, right?”

Tom grinned back at the man before he laughed and slackened his stance. “You're one of the very few Democrats I missed, I'm glad you finally made it down here.”

“Well the rest of us will try not to take offence at that,” Sam muttered.

“Why would we?” Toby queried. “Josh is the one who got offended, imagine being missed by a Republican.” He sighed and pressed a hand up to his wrinkled brow. “We're off to a good start already, I can see it now, even the president's people like the Republicans, it will be their slogan.”

Tom turned back to the others giving Josh a chance to enter. “You can head through the living room, it's on the right just by the staircase,” he advised as he pointed. “Although you might prefer the kitchen Toby, where I keep the good whiskey and nobody is right now.”

Toby nodded agreeably. “Where is it?”

“Wow Toby, look at you agreeing with the big bad Republican,” C.J teased.

Tom pointed to the left. “Take that door and follow the corridor, it's through the door at the end,” he retorted.

Tom turned his attention to the others as Toby pointedly veered to the left without a word.

“So, how has everyone been? Did Leo give you conversation cards on what you can and can't say until he arrives?” Tom teased as he headed for the living room.

“Jokes at your expense are fine and don't praise your living arrangements,” Josh replied.

Tom frowned and for a moment Josh glimpsed the heavy set weariness in his blue eyes. He realised that Tom was carrying a lot more stress than when they had last met. He wondered why that was given on the surface Tom appeared to have been living a pleasant life relaxing near the coast of Chesapeake Bay being the golden boy of Virginia.

“He isn't getting used to me is he?”

Josh shook his head but this time there was no teasing glint in his gaze. He halted as they neared the living room, leaning slightly to Tom so he could speak quietly and be audible. “Tom if you're going to do what we suspect you will, Leo is going to make personal, he'll have us hit back with everything we can.”

“Surely you'll do that anyway.”

“You know Leo will have the party come at you harder than he would with anyone else.”

Tom sighed angrily. “Why?”

Josh allowed his grin to return. “I'm only saying this once and denying I ever uttered it,” he commented solemnly. “Because you're the one that might win, then we've another Republican in the Senate for the next term and we can't have that, you guys have the House and the Senate right now, we're going to get them back, we have to. You were the liberal we were counting on to lose, no one expected things to go the way they have for you.”

Tom reached for the door handle. “Well I didn't either, I came here to get away from it.”

“No, you wanted to take Cadence away from it,” Josh corrected. “And how does she feel about the possibility of getting pulled back into it?”

Tom ignored the question as he pushed open the door with a wide grin. He thought bitterly that there was no good time to have that discussion with Cadence.


	2. Democratic Interference

Leo glanced at his watch and realised the time didn't matter, half past, quarter past, ten past, it was all still past late. Judge Markway knew the deck was stacked in his favour and wasn't letting them get away with rushing this. Leo, quiet in his post on a chair that was part of the circle of chairs and yet a few inches back so that he was an observer rather than a participator, looked to the man who was meant to make life easier for them but seemed determined to make it harder.

Laurence Markway was a pleasant faced man, twinkle eyed and smiling, neat with short, silver streaked white hair and a moustache to match, he looked easygoing when he was anything but. A colourful history in government, he had been a congressman for Virginia's fifth congressional district a couple of times, after his second term had ended he'd tried for the governor's post and suffered a narrow loss to a Republican. Now, he was a judge but the politics had remained with him and he still had a lot of support.

The President of the United States, Jed Bartlet, sat opposite the judge, calm faced and smiling politely, barely showing that they had been here for almost three hours now and made no headway.

Leo hated the deception, it was necessary but risky and given Jed was only just off the hook for concealing his M.S from the world, they couldn't afford to be tarnished with any more implications of secrecy. It was more difficult for Leo because it involved his daughters.

They had all come today to Chesapeake Bay under the pretence of team building with the promise to stop by in Chesapeake to bid Leo's youngest daughter a happy birthday before they would then continue the team building. It was why Mallory waited impatiently in another room, to keep up the guise that Leo and Jed were here strictly for Cadence's birthday because the team building wasn't going to wash with the team already at Tom's home. Leo knew he should think of it as Tom and Cadence's home but he couldn't, two years and it was still too soon for him to think of things like that.

Leo's weary blue gaze drifted back to the judge. He was the real reason for the visit, Jed was trying to talk Judge Markway into running for the senate for the state of Virginia. The meeting was secret because the President shouldn't be hand picking candidates like this, and if it got out that he was then the rest of the Democrats' Party would have a fit. There were other Democrats who planned to run for the seat, weak ones who would get beat. The other seat for Virginia belonged to a Republican and they definitely couldn't afford another one getting in, especially not with the Presidential election looming. The problem was that there was a strong rumour that amongst the Republicans who were going to run for the seat there was one who was liable to beat them all and get it- Tom Landis.

“If Landis throws his hat in the ring it's going to be tough,” the judge remarked calmly as he crossed his right leg over the left. He had swapped legs ten times since Leo had started counting the movement. “He's a man of the people, probably makes him weak in the Senate but popular enough to get him there.”

Laurence's curious green stare sought out Leo and he gave him a smile of charm. “Isn't he dating your daughter? Sure you want to go against the man? Could do worse for a Republican.”

Leo bristled at the judge's words, knowing the man wanted a reaction as he fought to resist giving him one.

“That's the point Larry,” Jed said gently, “he is a Republican and no matter how nice one is we could still do without them in the Senate. Come on now, aren't you up for taking him on?”

Now it was Laurence's turn to frown but it was brief as he brought back the smile almost instantly. “Sir, as I said, I'm flattered you think of me but with it being an election year and the security of the party uncertain, I'm not sure now is the time for me to run.”

“Well when is?” Leo blurted out before he could help it. He leaned forward in his seat, inserting himself into the conversation as he gave the man a wide eyed look of exasperation. “A senate's seat lasts five years, are you waiting then until Jed has had his second term and someone unknown is a year into their third? And what if it's a Republican?”

“What if it's one for this term?” Laurence retorted waspishly. His green gaze darted to Jed with false sentiments of apology glistening in it. “Sir, you have my full support as always but elections are never guaranteed.”

“Right, which is why I'd like to have my support ready for the fight,” Jed retorted. “Larry we've been at this a few hours now, let's get down to the point. What will it take for you to run?” he queried bluntly.

“When I've knocked out the other Democrats, public support from you sir and not just the kind one expects from the party lead, I want personal support. Love from the president gets love from the people and the party.”

Leo's face curdled slightly prompting Jed to wave him to sit back in his seat. Leo sat back reluctantly, cursing Tom Landis in his head ten times over. How in the hell had a liberal who had quit politics managed to cause such an uproar? He thought dryly that only Landis could have pulled off a stunt like this.

“Also,” Laurence continued, “I want you to speak out against Landis, that's what it will take sir and we both know it. There's an uncertainty over your feelings to him, well over certain members of your party's feelings I suppose,” he added as he looked to Leo pointedly. “It's a little too ambiguous, probably fine when he didn't matter but now he does.”

Leo tensed again, Cadence's feelings to him were already shaky at best and showing up late to her birthday party wasn't going to help, he could only imagine the scathing hatred she would have for him if he helped publicly bash her boyfriend.

“We have nothing to go at Tom with,” Jed dismissed.

Laurence raised his eyebrows slightly at this. “I may not be from his neck of the woods but it doesn't take much to get his story.”

“What story?” Leo snapped before he could help himself.

Jed sighed and rolled his eyes skyward. “Gentlemen, we're not going to have a smear campaign, it's beneath us.”

“Sir, if you want me to run I need your support for me to be clear and I need your opposition to Tom Landis to also be clear,” Laurence said firmly.

Jed wondered in frustration if Laurence Markway was really the best the Democrats could come up with for the senator's post of Virginia. If so, it was no wonder the other senator's seat was currently held by a Republican.

“We win on our merits not their failings,” Jed said seriously.

Leo clenched the arms of his chair as the debate between them continued and he wondered if they were going to make it to Cadence's birthday at all.

\---

Tom Landis' tired face stared out quizzically at his late night visitors. “Are you kidding me?” he quipped sardonically.

He stood barefoot in his doorway wearing a loose fitted, plain, white t-shirt and a long pair of black shorts.

Leo frowned and glanced to Jed. “I told you it wasn't worth calling now sir.”

“Nonsense Leo it's still Tuesday.”

“It's half an hour from Wednesday,” Tom pointed out as he folded his arms and leaned up against the door frame. He eyed the pair critically, ignoring the Secret Service agents that framed them in a semi-circle. “No cake either,” he chided, “or Mallory. Wow, it's almost like you weren't planning this visit.”

Jed frowned too, tiring fast of Tom's sarcasm although he considered reluctantly that it was perhaps deserved. “Can I assume my loyal team are still here?” he queried.

“You mean your cover story? Sure, they're in the living room getting drunk on my whiskey and their attempts to keep this crap going ended an hour and twenty minutes and two shots ago,” Tom snapped as he took a sideways stance and continued to give Leo and Jed a critical stare. “It didn't take much probing after one inadvertently said they had to check how things were going with Markway.”

Tom shook his head. “I won't say which one, you're all complicit. Round them up and get going, Cady deserves better.”

Tom stormed off from the doorway leaving Leo and Jed standing there awkwardly.

“I think they know why we're here,” Jed murmured.

“I think so sir. I guess Mallory was right not to come.”

After having taken over four hours with Laurence Markway and facing two hours on the road to reach Cadence and Tom, Mallory had refused to come. She was already angry with the duplicity and didn't want her sister thinking her birthday mattered so little. Mallory had opted to be taken to the hotel instead.

“I feel a little like we're in high school getting scolded because our friends have gotten drunk and made a mess in someone's house,” Jed mused.

“That's kind of exactly what's happened sir,” Leo said numbly.

“Did you notice he never once called me president?”

“I can't blame him this time.”

“Who do you think slipped up?”

“Probably Toby.”

Leo gazed at Jed in confusion. “Was I meant to bring a cake?”

Jed nodded. “Didn't you agreed if you did there'd be no talk of politics?”

“Oh.” Leo's blue eyes widened slightly at this. “I thought he was joking about that.”

The pair finally stepped into the house and spied Tom standing to the right by a closed door still looking cross. “I realise you won't know where the living room is because you haven't called here before,” he said scathingly.

“Jesus Landis enough,” Leo retorted with a slight wince. “This is the President of the United States you're talking to here, show some respect and really, do you think he has time for casual calls to summer homes in Chesapeake?”

Tom folded his arms again and glared back at Leo. “Leo, Cady is your daughter, here for two years for rehabilitation, I think you should have come here before now.” He waved at Leo with his right hand before he could protest. “Yeah I know, you've both seen her before now but on your terms where you want because you're so afraid to be seen in the house of a Republican in the run up to election year. Except when it makes a good cover story,” he sneered, “better people think you're here than out wooing Democrats for the Senate.”

“You should've brought the cake Leo,” Jed murmured quietly.

“I should have brought the cake sir.”

Leo's expression wavered between anger and annoyance as he tried to maintain eye contact with the angry Republican.

“Where is she?” Leo pried.

“In bed Leo. Once the revelation came out that you were with Markway, Judge Laurence Markway I am assuming, well she didn't want to stay down anymore.”

Leo sighed before pointing to Tom angrily. “You know part of this is your fault, you were meant to be out of the politics,” he accused. “Now election year is coming and suddenly you're eyeing up the senate!”

Tom's dark eyebrows rose slightly at this and he frowned. “I haven't said I'm running.”

“Oh Jesus Tom everyone knows you are!” Leo exclaimed angrily as he gestured outwards with both hands.

“I didn't know.”

Leo whirled round suddenly at the quiet voice but all he saw were the Secret Service men, silent, stoic and so wonderfully awkward right now as they tried to pretend they weren't able to hear the outburst. Leo gestured at them angrily to move.

The suits sidestepped to reveal Cadence McGarry wearing a pair of raccoon headed slippers and an over-sized navy t-shirt with 'I'm the elephant in the room' on it in red font and a cartoon elephant's face winking below the font.

Leo's jaw dropped and his face blanched at the sight of the t-shirt. “Have you gone native?” he gaped at his daughter in horror.

Cadence ignored him to look at Tom accusingly. “Tom is it true, are you running for Senate?” she demanded.

Tom sighed as his blue gaze shifted sideways, staring at nothing. His brow wrinkled up and two prominent creases appeared down his cheeks as a frown plucked at his mouth.

Jed stared over at the man, feeling guilty for his intrusion. He could see as Josh had that Tom had aged noticeably in the two years and he wondered how difficult it had been out here trying to coax Cadence through traumas no one knew the full depths of. He realised that the man was almost forty and this was his last real shot at politics, chances were if Tom had a really choice he'd have put it off for another year or two but he didn't have the choice so here he was caught between a dream chance at the Senate and continuing with his girlfriend's rehabilitation.

The living room door was yanked open suddenly.

“Josh you've made a right mess, I'll get the mop!” C.J shouted as she leaned out but faced back to the living room and its rowdy occupants. “Toby you owe me ten bucks! Sam don't you be sick too, hold it in until I get a bucket!”

C.J turned to race out of the room, freezing up as she saw who was staring back at her. Too stunned to be embarrassed, she offered up an awkward smile instead. “Evening sir, you made it. Er, it's still evening right?”

“Nope,” Tom retorted sardonically as he glanced at his watch, “it's morning and they didn't make it.”

“Are you having a frat party?” Leo marvelled. “What the hell is going on here?”

“Sir, I'll explain,” C.J retorted excitedly as she held both palms up to him. “Well no,” she gestured her palms out as she glanced back to the ajar door, “Toby can, yeah make him do it.” C.J turned her attention to Tom. “Tom where's the mop?”

“Kitchen,” Tom muttered. He stared into the living room and said aloud, “I should take pictures, that's what a good Republican would do.”

Tom hurried into the room as he saw Josh leaning on the dining table and dry heaving. “Josh not on the table.”

Tom grasped the man, recoiling slightly as Josh turned to him with a smile and he caught a whiff of vomit.

“Tom where did that whiskey come from?” Josh marvelled.

“No more whiskey,” Sam lamented from his position in the couch where he had sagged and was trying not to throw up.

Tom looked from one to the other critically before urging Josh out of the room in a gentle frogmarch. “Fresh air for you,” he murmured.

“Tom don't tell anyone but I might be a little drunk,” Josh mused happily.

Tom headed for the bay doors at the back, leading Josh out to the wooden balcony there.

Back in the main foyer Cadence decided to give up on an explanation for the evening. Hearing her boyfriend chiding Josh followed by the sound of the bay doors opening let her know that he had taken the coward's route and was using Josh as a means of evading talking to her about the senator's post.

“I'm going to go back to bed and when I wake up this won't have happened,” she announced.

“I wish it worked like that,” Jed said gently.

Cadence ignored him as she retreated to the stairs.

Leo gestured to Jed and glared round the room at everyone and no one in particular. “Does anyone realise this is the President of the United States here?” he queried sardonically.

“Are you okay Leo?” C.J queried as she returned with a mop in hand but no bucket. “You aren't going senile? Of course that's the president!”

Leo rolled his eyes at her.

“Sir, let's just go,” Leo said as he lowered his hand.

“What about our rabble in there?” Jed pried.

“They'll keep to morning,” Leo muttered.

“That doesn't seem fair Leo.”

Leo looked up to Jed in annoyance. “Landis gave them the whiskey so let him deal with the consequences of that. Let him deal with all the consequences,” he added moodily.

“Leo,” Jed addressed him quietly with a sympathetic stare, “I'm not happy about him running either but you can't blame him. If he was a Democrat he'd have our full support.”

“But he's not a Democrat sir and we aren't on stable ground with this election so we don't need Republicans like him running, not this year. Next year when we're secure in power sure, let him take a shot then.”

“Leo, the senator post isn't up next year, it's up now.”

Leo sighed. “Well we need it to be Democrat, Virginia already has one Republican, we can't lose this state, not with an election looming.”

“I know and I agree. It's a real pity he's not a Democrat, he has his moments.”

“It's a real pity he's not someone else's boyfriend,” Leo grumbled childishly. He winched hearing someone retching in the living room.

“Go to the bathroom Sam before that comes up!” C.J scorned.

“We're going to have a lot of amends to make tomorrow,” Jed murmured.

“A few sir but at least it's not Cadence's actual birthday we ruined.”

Jed looked surprised at this. “It's not?”

“No sir, that's in two days. Oh wait, it's tomorrow actually, Thursday.”

“Well we were close enough.”

Hearing C.J and Toby starting to sing _American Pie_ , Jed gestured for a retreat to Leo and the two men headed for the door.

“Abbey will never forgive me if we don't make amends to Cadence, what kind of cake do you think we'll have to get to cover this mess?” Jed quipped cheerfully.

“To cover betrayal, lies, and leaving people drunk and throwing up in her partner's summer house? Oh I don't know.” Leo smiled up at Jed with bitterness in his stare. “One with chocolate frosting maybe.”

Jed gave a light chuckle. “Don't worry Leo, it'll look better in the morning, things always do. We'll just have to come clean and make sure that Cadence knows it was more of a two birds, one stone thing, and that we both very much value her.”

“I still blame Landis for part of this.”

“Leo you'd blame him for earthquakes in California at this point.”

\---

It was only in the early dawning hours just before darkness gave way to light that Josh began to feel any semblance of relief. He became dumbly aware that he was outside, chilled by the early morning air despite the blanket bundled loosely over him and yet eager for it all the same. It was dark out here and the soft sounds of foxes scurrying unseen through the trees and the chirping of night time scavengers was oddly soothing as was the damp compress at his brow and the warm lap he was resting in.

Josh tensed just a little as he wondered about the lap. His head was groggy and he was confused, still sullied with liquor and unsure if he had slept or not. There was a dull recollection of him bragging about his drinking abilities and C.J and Toby making a wager as Sam had boasted of college days mastering shots as best as any other young man. Josh let out a weak moan of pain as his brow tensed with the memory and he knew it had all gone downhill from there.

“You aren't going to be sick again, are you?”

The voice that addressed Josh was fatigued and slightly irate but there was a trace of amusement to it as well and familiarity.

Josh's brown eyes rolled up but it was difficult to see in the dark and had a nauseating effect on him. He became aware that he was stretched out on a wooden surface, head back in a lap he'd taken for a pillow, bare, hairy legs stretched out on other side of him as the owner of the lap had given in reluctantly to the drunken intrusion of a man so inebriated he couldn't tell a feather stuffed inanimate object from the appendage of a man.

Tom was seated upright, back propped against the wall of the house, legs stretched out on the wooden balcony before him, grateful for the peace as he knew a storm was going to follow,m. He had a fresh glass of whiskey and ice to his left, a small comfort as he stared out at the darkness calmly, dreading the confrontation Cadence would bring him in a matter of hours.

Tom had spent the past four hours with Josh, not completely as there had been moments of fetching him water, a damp cloth, a bucket to vomit in, then more water, the blanket, more water, and checking to be sure that the other three were passed out and not in any other concerning state.

“Did you get me a blanket?” Josh quipped in a mumble.

“Yes but I don't know why, part of me thinks letting you freeze to death would be apt.”

“You're so nice getting me a blanket Tom. You've always been nice.”

“I know,” Tom agreed grimly as he sipped at the whiskey. “It will be my undoing.”

“No, no see it's why I like you.”

“If you liked me you'd have told me sooner about Markway,” Tom retorted calmly.

“Aww Tom, now I couldn't.”

“Right Josh.”

“No really,” Josh babbled. “I like you, that's my undoing.”

Tom took another sip. “What, liking me?” he quipped sarcastically.

“Yep.”

“Is it that bad to like a Republican?”

“No, it's a you thing, a Tom thing.”

Tom sighed and shook his head. “Josh go back to sleep, I think I prefer being stuck with my thoughts about how Cady is going to yell at me.”

“Hmm yeah she'll do that. Poor Tom.”

Tom snickered at this. “Poor Tom indeed. Josh, one more thing.”

“Uh huh.”

“Could you shift slightly, I'm starting to lose feeling.”

“Where?”

Tom took a deep gulp from the glass this time before he reached out with one hand and shifted Josh's head slightly.

“Problem solved.”

“Heh if only they were all so easy,” Josh joked. He laughed and winced at the gesture sent a fresh roll of nausea through him.


	3. A Good Day

Tom took a moment to realise what had startled him to consciousness. He was confused as he felt a banging through his skull and a hot flash of pain at his face. With a groan, he fumbled to right himself as he became aware of a damp sensation at his chest. The middle-aged Republican reached a hand up to the front of his face where he felt the pain and cursed as his hand came away sticky, wet and stained crimson. He realised he was in the thralls of a nosebleed.

Hearing the low hum of music vibrating through the house he realised what had woken him and hastened to move. He turned slightly on his right side without thinking, causing a sudden muffled groan from his groin region. Before Tom could even consider who might be making the groan

he winced as he felt a pair of hands suddenly shoving at his left thigh anxiously.

Startled, confused and just a little embarrassed, Tom pushed back against the wall quickly and stood.

Tom raised his right hand up to his bloody nose and watched quietly as Josh Lyman hastened to his feet as well. Josh rose in a rush of panic, bushy haired and looking perplexed.

“Is this a weird dream?” Josh asked wearily as he blinked his bloodshot dark eyes.

Josh rubbed a hand through his brown curls before grimacing at the noise. “What's with the music?”

Tom, reminded of the noise, turned for the balcony doors and saw that one was lightly ajar explaining how the music had escaped out to awaken him. He walked towards them, realising his feet were bare as they were chilled by the wooden boards of the balcony he hastened across. Tom left Josh bewildered and quickly becoming aware of his hangover as he raised a hand up to his pounding brow.

Tom pulled the ajar door wider and winced as the music became louder as he stepped into the living room. He realised the music was coming from another room, vibrating down through the ceiling, it was loud enough to have disturbed the living room's inhabitants to a groaning, protesting wakefulness.

“Oh that's far too happy,” C.J complained as she clapped her hands over her ears and tried to burrow into the couch she occupied.

The press secretary was a tangle of long limbs and a pale blue blanket she had yanked from the back of the cover.

The joyful notes of ' _I'm Walking On Sunshine_ ' vibrated through the roof above, each high pitched note sending a pang of pain through the skulls of the slightly hungover trio who were reluctant to awaken and realise their situation.

Toby looked the best out of the three, his suit only mildly wrinkled from sleeping in it and his shoes and tie still on unlike Sam's, which had been abandoned to the floor. Toby was on his feet, sullen faced and angry eyed, which wasn't much of a change from a normal, every day Toby.

“Sheesh did you kill someone?” Toby quipped dryly as he saw Tom entering stained in blood.

The red was vibrant on Tom's chest against the white of his t-shirt even with his back to the daylight of the morning sun trying to steal in through the glass doors.

“Shit,” Tom cursed bluntly at the happy music as he ignored Toby.

Tom hurried through the living room, breaking into a sprint as he escaped it and headed for the stairwell. The music was loud enough to disguise the noises of anything going on upstairs and happy enough to deceive the unaware into thinking that the person responsible for it was in a good mood.

Tom hurried into the bedroom he and Cadence shared on the second floor of the house. He wondered only briefly at the time as he realised it was light enough to see everything clearly. The bedroom was brightly lit with the natural light of the morning sun shimmering in through the drawn blinds. Some might have considered it a sign of a joyous morning person welcoming the sunlight but Tom knew grimly that it was an indication the blinds hadn't been drawn during the night.

He found Cadence calm but disturbingly still as she sat in the centre of the bed on top of the pale jade duvet. Her hands were clenched and her mouth was in a thin line as she murmured something under breath, which was inaudible over the music she blasted from the stereo.

Tom moved to the stereo first, hitting it off before turning his attention to Cadence. As he looked he glimpsed his reflection in the profile mirror free-standing to the left and he frowned. He looked like he had been in a fight, his t-shirt was stained with a large red patch of blood and his nose, mouth and chin were still soaked with it. He tugged off the ruined t-shirt and rubbed around his face and at his nose with it before tossing it to the floor.

Tom headed to Cadence, taking a seat on the bed beside her. He drew his legs up onto the mattress and stretched them out as he leaned back against the bedhead. It was a king-size bed, old and well-maintained with the same cleanliness and starched sheets of a hotel. Although they had shared it for two years, it never felt like 'their bed' to Tom. He missed his bed in D.C but he supposed that had never been 'their bed' either.

“Good day,” Cadence murmured quietly, “has to be a good day. It's going to be a good day.”

“Cady-”

“I'm mad at you,” she interrupted sharply as the line of her mouth creased down to a frown.

“I know,” Tom retorted softly as he nodded, “but the fight comes later, we don't fight when you're having a dark moment.”

Cadence let out an odd choking noise as if she couldn't decide upon a chortle or a sob. “You make it sound so simple, just a dark moment,” she sneered. She bowed her head and let out a sigh. “Just a dark moment,” she repeated more calmly, “that's all it is.” She pushed her hands up into her light tawny brown hair and closed her eyes momentarily. “It's been so long since the last one, I thought I was getting better with these.”

Tom wrapped his left arm over her shoulders.

“It just happened,” Cadence said miserably. “I didn't expect it. I mean I was, am mad but...I just felt this horrid suffocating feeling and I needed the music to distract me.”

Tom frowned. “Cady you use the music to cover for you,” he chided her quietly. “To stop anyone hearing you and to have everyone think you're happy because the music's happy.”

Cadence's mouth creased down as she dipped her head to stare at her lap. Often she was grateful for Tom's perceptiveness but at times it was an irritation as well.

“Alright, fine,” she said bluntly. “I wondered who was downstairs and I thought if I'm going to start shouting swear words or cry because I really don't know which it's going to be well I don't want them to hear it. It's an added bonus that they might be hungover and sensitive to some loud music.”

Tom nodded along wearily as he felt some of Cadence's misery creep into him. “Cady, you want to scream or curse or cry then just do it, I'd rather that than you suppress it and it boils up in you until suddenly you're seeking some other outlet for your emotions.”

Tom squeezed her shoulder gently, wary of the defensive retort she was mustering for him.

“Look honey, no decision has been made regarding the senator's post, I wouldn't do that without talking to you first and no decision has to be made. I'm alright staying here.”

“That's a lie, please don't lie Tom,” she scolded him. “We both know you're unsettled here.”

Tom raised his hand to finger comb her hair lightly. He gave a slightly crooked smile full of bitterness.

“I haven't hated it.”

Cadence turned a serious stare up to Tom. Her gaze filled with surprise as she took in the dried blood stains that marred his philtrum and nostrils. She hesitated with her response as her gaze dropped down to take in the faint stains that had seeped through his t-shirt to his chest.

“It isn't home to you,” Cadence murmured. “This was and has stayed your family's summer home, we've never made it anything else. You made D.C your home.”

Cadence's eyes widened slightly at the thought of the capital city and her shoulders tensed.

“D.C, what will it be like, there will be press again and-”

“Cady, remember what the psychiatrist said, we break it down,” Tom interrupted as he gazed down at her kindly. “You get stressed out by something then we look at it piece by piece. Anyway, you're getting far too ahead of things. I haven't put my name in the running and if I were to then I'd need to actually run and win, only then would D.C be on the cards.”

“Am I getting ahead?” she quipped sardonically as some of her rage returned. Her stare turned stormy as she glowered up at Tom. “Haven't you been thinking about this? You must have for dad to have guessed. God Tom what obvious signs have I missed that he's noticed? Do you think I'm so fragile that you couldn't discuss it with me?”

Tom tensed this time, his entire body just seemed to tauten and his dark eyebrows furrowed down as he considered his answer.

“Cady,” he addressed in a quiet, serious tone, “don't make me feel bad for trying to look out for your feelings. I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. Being in that world did a lot of devastating things to you, things you still won't fully discuss.”

“Tom, that's not entirely true. I mean it was being with Zoey...” Cadence trailed off and shook her head as her skin blanched slightly.

“It's been two years and you still struggle to talk about it,” Tom pointed out. “Cady, you need longer and that's okay.”

“Tom no, don't brush it off. It's been two years of you taking care of me, it's time for me to support you now, which I will if you want to run for Senate. It's been very difficult for you to be here, I have noticed that and yet instead of staying at the edges you've tried to be positive about it, throwing yourself into helping the people of Chesapeake and supporting their causes. I know it's caused you a lot of pain even if you avoid it because,” her tone became stern, “I'm not the only one who avoids talking about sensitive matters Tom.”

Tom grimaced slightly before giving a reluctant nod. “Well that's fair,” he murmured.

“That's a bad nosebleed you've had, what were you thinking about?” she pried.

“C.J asked where all the photos were,” Tom admitted. “She didn't mean anything by it. I mean, it is the living room, you would think I'd have some up.”

Cadence nodded. “And what did you say?”

“That we weren't the type to display photos.”

“Tom you know if you run for Senate it's going to go public. Everything that happened with your family won't just be Virginia's past news anymore, they'll dredge it up.”

Tom sighed before nodding. “I know but for this I'd like to risk it. As long as they come after me for the story and leave Henry alone.”

Cadence frowned. “There are no guarantees for that Tom.”

“I know,” he repeated, quieter this time.

Tom offered Cadence the lopsided smile he often gave that she was very fond of it. “So, can I ask for another delay to our fight to go and shower? I'd rather bicker with you without bloodstains.”

Cadence smiled back before she could help herself.

“Tom, you know you've talked me out of the quarrel.”

Tom's smile widened before he leaned down to her and nuzzled her nose with his own.

“Quarrel,” he murmured quietly, “now that's a nice way of putting it. I like that.”

Tom gave her a gentle kiss, pulling back hastily as he became aware of the taste of dried blood on his lips.

“I'm going to avoid the guests until you're dressed,” Cadence murmured as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her right ear. “I'm not...I just...” She trailed off and clenched her fists. “Good day,” she remarked firmly.

“I'll be quick,” Tom promised. He gave her another smile. “And then we can throw them out together.”

Cadence gave him a small smile in response.

\---

The rowdy guests had simmered to a quiet cluster of slight embarrassment and apology. Save for Toby who remained as stubborn as ever and had no apology to offer. Tom was hopeful they would leave soon and he would have peace for the remainder of the day although he had a certain sense of dread for tomorrow. Tomorrow was Cadence's birthday and Tom was quite certain Leo and the president were liable to show up for it full of half-assed apologies and lies about being here for Cadence.

Tom stood in the kitchen by the cooker frying up another pair of eggs. He had descended the safety of the bedroom alone to face the hungover hoard.

Cadence hadn't come down to say goodbye to anyone, she'd been murmuring about good days again when Tom had emerged from his shower. He had attempted to run a bath for her but it had been lukewarm and with only a few bubbles for show. Tom wasn't a bath person and despite how deceptively simple it should be he could never quite master running the perfect one for Cadence. He had tried to make up for it by putting all twenty of her rubber ducks in it, which had earned him a sympathy smile from the young woman. Leaving Cadence to the failure of a bath, Tom had headed down to bid farewell to the tired hungover group of West Wing representatives.

Tom had been kind enough to offer them coffee and eggs, prompting C.J to tease him for his niceness. Now they were all in the kitchen around the large, black island, Sam green faced and sipping at water whilst C.J savoured her eggs gratefully, cursing every time her pager beeped.

Josh stood beside Tom, back to a counter as he sipped at his coffee and watched the Republican with intrigue. He couldn't decide if Tom's niceness was a weakness or a strength.

“How's Cadence?” Josh queried quietly.

Tom gave a bitter smile as he kept his gaze down on the frying eggs. “She's having a dark day,” he confessed.

“Oh.” Josh felt guilty figuring Cadence's mood and their presence couldn't be a coincidence.

“She wasn't happy to hear from Leo that I might be running for Senate,” Tom admitted. “It would have been better hearing it from me but I suppose I was dragging my heels with my confession.”

Tom lifted the pan and reached for a spatula.

“Have the two years here helped?” Josh pried.

Tom pushed the eggs onto the plate and shook his head. “It's limbo here, we've never treated it as a permanent move so that's always left the shadow of D.C hanging overhead, the wonder of when we'll return or if we don't, the uncertainty of where we might go.”

Josh looked down to his half-empty coffee cup and wondered what he should say next. He was curious about Tom's life and seeing this summer house had only made him more intrigued. It was like Cadence and Tom were holidaying here, there were no personal touches to the place that Josh could see and after two years he found that a little odd.

“Tom, have you considered settling somewhere else?”

“I did,” Tom murmured, “after the first year but things were still very bad for her, I'd wake up some nights and find her downstairs with all the lights on just sitting in the living room, wide eyed with the television on trying to distract herself. It wouldn't have been right to unsettle her further with another move.”

“And why haven't you settled here?”

Tom gave another bitter smile before glancing over to Josh. “This was my parents' summer home,” he explained. “I don't want it to be our home, I had good memories here and I thought that's what would come back to me being here but they didn't.”

Tom's smile faded as he realised he was confessing a little too much but he was tired now of the weight of his history and secrets and whilst Cadence knew the truth of things he avoided talking too much about it because they were here for her and he didn't want her to feel guilt for being the reason for his return here. He realised that she had already picked up on his woes and probably felt that guilt anyway.

Josh stared at Tom with pity and puzzlement. He considered pushing the matter but Tom had reached for the plate of eggs and was holding it out to him, ready to dismiss him.

“I'm sorry Tom,” Josh said softly.

Tom smiled at him. “Enjoy your eggs Josh.”

Josh accepted the plate and carried it to the table where C.J and Sam sat. Toby was using the wall phone, arranging their pickup.

Tom headed for a cupboard and lifted down a bottle of syrup. He moved to the fridge next and hunted out a packet of store bought pancakes. He took out two and placed them in the toaster, letting them warm for half a minute before he popped them and poured a generous amount of syrup onto them.

“I'm heading back to Cady,” he advised them as he lifted the plate and another cup of coffee. “If you're gone before I come back down, goodbye and have a nice trip.”

“Thanks for the coffee and eggs,” C.J said chirpily with a smile.

“Sorry for the...well mess,” Sam apologised quietly as he blushed.

Josh gazed over at the man sympathetically. “Thanks for not poisoning anything,” he joked, “you really are ruining the reputation of Republicans.”

Tom chuckled. “I'd rather beat you lot fairly, which I'm sure we will in a few months time.”

Tom exited before Toby could responded with fury and yelling about Republican faux pas.

He headed back upstairs to the bedroom Cadence had now made a safe room out of and was glad to see her dressed and looking a tad more cheerful.

“Breakfast,” he offered as he set the plate of pancakes down on the vanity table.

Cadence was standing before the full length mirror styling her hair into loose curls. She glanced over at Tom's entry and smiled at the offering of pancakes.

“Are they away yet?” she queried with a hint of anxiety creeping into her grey-blue gaze.

Tom shook his head. “No but they will be soon, Toby is terrified I've secretly called reporters to document their debauchery in a Republican's home.”

Cadence smiled at this. “Did...did dad contact any of them?”

“I don't think so.”

Tom took a sip of the coffee he had brought with him. “Would you like to go Chessie hunting and put it out of your mind?” he offered.

Cadence looked over at him again as she turned off the curling tongs. “I thought you had a few meetings today.”

Tom shrugged. “Nothing I can't cancel.”

“Are they related to running for Senate?”

He sighed and pushed a hand through his short, dark hair. “Yes,” he admitted, “but I'll cancel it. I know we avoided the fight but we haven't properly talked about it.”

Cadence gave him a serious stare and raised her hands to her hips. “You're running and I'm supporting you.”

“Cady-”

“Tom,” she interrupted him firmly, “let's not overthink it. Piece by piece, just like you said. So, we start with you running and I'll just deal with that.”

Tom nodded and stepped forward to her. “Alright, if you're sure.”

She nodded before embracing him with both arms and pulling herself into his torso, burrowing up against his white cotton shirt. “Yes. So you go do what you need to today.”

“Cady I can stay if you need me to.”

“No, it's okay, I'll have the pancakes and think about other things. It'll be a good day.”

Tom gave a slight frown at her word choice and embraced her with his free hand. “You call,” he said sternly.

“I will.”


	4. Birthday Surprise

Vice President John Hoynes squinted slightly in the soft Virginian morning sun. He knew he was being exploited but since it meant that the President of the United States was now depending on his skills he couldn't help but feel a certain smugness about it.

John had gotten the rundown yesterday in a phone call from Jed that had been just a tad distorted as it had been made from a car phone. Judge Markway was playing hardball and looking favours to run for Senate and stubborn Jed didn't see that a man needed a favour to run for Senate when surely becoming a senator was its own reward. Jed had also grumbled about how people of the party were supposed to be loyal and obedient to their party leader. John had patiently tuned out Jed's ranting and opted to sip at a vodka instead of remind Jed that he was the one who had shown disloyalty to the Democratic Party with his secrecy.

As the President of the Senate, it was as much of a risk for John to converse with Laurence Markway as it was for Jed, hell perhaps more so as John was the ranking leader of the Senate.

Part of John figured dryly that maybe there wasn't much risk after all if they weren't going to win again. Learning that Jed was running again had taken some of the fight from John. A four year wait on the presidency was alright but eight years and then counting on the people to want the same party in all over again was just that much harder. John was only four years older than when he had first started out but he felt like he had aged a lot more than that and he dreaded what the next four years might do to him.

John had wondered only briefly at the location choice until Leo had contacted him this morning and made murmurings about today being Cadence's birthday and a reluctant request for John to join him and the president later with the possibility of visiting the young woman. John knew from Leo's tone that he was probably getting exploited again by being asked to visit Cadence, that something had already managed to happen in the two brief days Leo and Jed had been here. John figured Leo or Jed or both had blundered into some accusations to Tom and the fact that he obviously intended to run for the senator's seat for Virginia which undoubtedly would have upset Cadence.

John put the young woman from his mind as he entered the private quarters booked for his meeting with the judge. It was an unremarkable two storey brick building on the outskirts of Chesapeake city, noteworthy only for the security lingering around it. There was a mixture of guarding personnel- the Secret Service who shadowed John and the judge's own private security.

John entered through an unguarded lobby, heading through to a back office where the judge was waiting. He was suitably suited and booted for the meeting- sharp, navy suit, crisp, white shirt, a plain blue tie to highlight his allegiance to his party, polished shoes and the small pin of an American flag on his lapel to showcase his devotion to his country. His handsome, photogenic appearance was just another thing for Jed to exploit and find fault with it, sure Jed had an appealing, homely face but his was an average attraction, the man to relate to but John was the poster boy, the one to envy and lust after. Jed was heartfelt and John was charming, if they got on better they might have a stronger chance at re-election.

Judge Markway stood to attention at John's arrival, greeting him with a small smile.

“Good morning Mr Vice President.”

John nodded back politely. “Good morning judge.”

The room was a small space with two opposing, dark green, leather couches and a dark wooden coffee table between them. There was nothing on the table and John knew no coffee would be forthcoming much as he craved it. This meeting was too sensitive to risk eavesdropping waiting staff with innocent offers of coffee.

Laurence sat back down leaving John to take the couch opposite him.

John fixed a calm smile upon the judge as he sat, his cerulean eyes twinkling with a bright cheer. He crossed his legs and clasped his palms together in his lap.

“Laurence, we both know why I'm here,” John remarked calmly. “Look, I won't mince words, the president is asking you to run for senate to go against the Republican challenger, and I know that's not exactly the same as saying he wants you to run because he wants you there. You need to see it this way however, he thinks you're the best man for this job, there are other Democrats in the state of Virginia to reach out to, some of who will be planning on running anyway.”

“What happens after I win?” Laurence quipped.

John's grin widened, amused by the man's smug confidence.

“Then you're in the Senate for five years representing the good state of Virginia.”

Laurence smiled this time and shook his head. “Sir, I do this for the president then I don't want to become forgotten in the Senate, one of the many.”

“Well Laurence, it's the Vice President who is President of the Senate,” John reminded him, “and that's me and I remember my allies.”  
John took care to say 'my' and not 'our', if Jed wanted a victory for the party he could have it but John wasn't so loyal that he'd let Jed take the glory and power that went with it.

Laurence raised his thin eyebrows slightly at this, taking note of John's word choice.

“And how do you treat your allies?” Laurence queried.

“Fairly Laurence. Don't be foolish on this one, you're sticking on pride, I know that because I've been there. He didn't ask you because he liked you, he asked you because there's a threat. He didn't ask me out of fondness either,” John remarked with a hint of bitterness.

“But he's asked you again,” Laurence pointed out.

John nodded grimly as his smile faded. “After his confession he can't do it with anyone else. The same way if Landis is going to run we can't beat him with anyone else other than you. Jed doesn't have to like people to see their skills and it's better to be valued for your talents than liked.”

“Hmm well it's better to be both.”

John shook his head. “Just because you're nice doesn't make you good. Landis has the likeability factor but he's weak, you'll win this. It will be an easy victory you for you, a chance at the Senate with the Vice President as your ally,” he added as he smiled.

“Ally,” Laurence repeated. “I wondered why you didn't say friend initially but now I understand.”

Laurence fixed a stern gaze on the V.P. “I asked the president to denounce Landis,” he admitted. “I think Landis will get favour because it seems like the president and his Chief of Staff do like him.”

John gave a sardonic smile at this. “The Chief of Staff's daughter lives with Landis, you know that, and denouncing him is just going to hand him votes.”

Laurence frowned. “Well I think the president's support for me needs to be more clear cut.”

“Laurence he has come to talk to you personally and now he's had me come down the very next day, yes it's secret but his support couldn't be clearer. When you are the leading Democrat running, I will ensure support for you is clear.”

John didn't bother to state just how eager he would be to support Laurence when the time came because just like Jed it wasn't about Laurence winning for John, it was about seeing Tom Landis lose.

Laurence nodded before glancing to the right momentarily. He turned a neutral gaze back to John. “Alright then, I'll run.”

John smiled again and stood, offering his hand out to the judge.

Laurence stood as well and accepted the hand.

Satisfied with the conclusion, John retreated back outside to his waiting car. At last he permitted his mind to drift to Cadence McGarry. He hadn't seen her in two years and yet she had remained a presence in his life. She had kept contact with his aides Gavin and Sandra and given them advice and ideas to help with John's popularity. It was her guidance that had helped steer John smoothly through the mess Jed had made by admitting his Vice President had known all about his M.S and helped conceal it from the world. With Cadence's advice it had been spun as a show of deep loyalty, how despite fearing the consequences John could never betray his leader's confidence. John had cancelled his Chief of Staff Cal's attempts to replace Cadence, instead splitting the role amongst his team and ignoring Cal's cutting comments about sentimentality.

John wondered how Cadence was. He had pried about her politely now and then with Leo, knowing if he queried too often it would garner suspicion. Leo had never given him the full truth but John had suspected that was because embarrassingly Leo didn't know it. Leo had never believed he could be devoted to both his West Wing family and his actual family, it was why he was divorced, had a turbulent relationship with his eldest daughter and avoided confronting the complications of his youngest. For Leo, Cadence was out of sight and out of mind and he probably figured since she was out of the limelight she was improved.

John was both surprised and hurt that she had been gone from him this long. He had expected a few months but not years. It had him wondering if it was Landis' influence or if Cadence was truly so troubled she could not face their world anymore.

The thought of Tom Landis had John reaching for the bottled water and wishing it was vodka. He'd considered stocking the car with alcohol but knew it was a temptation he would submit to knowing how on edge Cadence put him. That was the torment, he had every fondness for her, hell the forbidden word lingered at the edges of his mind any time he thought of her but his frustrations at being denied her drove him to dark temptations.

John thought of Cadence's boyfriend. Tom Landis was a loser, politically and personally, a middle-aged man with a failed career in politics, attractive enough but nothing remarkable, charming but in a sickening nice boy fashion, and a doormat for the Democrats even when he attempted to be the good boy Republican rebelling against them. Yet Tom was a winner too because he had Cadence, she had chosen him over John, and two years later John still couldn't fathom why. He told himself it was because Tom was safe and she was scared, shaken by a terrible kidnapping she had fallen foul of when the kidnappers had taken her in place of the president's daughter Zoey. It was the latest in a long list of terrible traumas, far too many for a woman so young to handle and John figured she'd finally submitted to her terrors and fled with Tom. His hope was that she would summon back her calm, conquer her fears and realise that Tom wasn't who she really wanted.

\---

Tom folded his arms as he surveyed the arrivals on his doorstep.

“Two years and we don't see you but now it's twice in one week, following the feast or famine philosophy?” he quipped sardonically.

Of the trio looking back at him, only Mallory smiled at the comment.

“I brought the cake, try to be tolerable Tom,” Leo retorted. He half-raised the white box in his clutches pointedly.

Tom arched his dark eyebrows at this and stared back at the man. “I think you mean tolerant.”

“No, tolerable,” Leo insisted firmly.

“Gentlemen, we're not even through the door yet,” Jed interrupted. “Now Tom, it's rude to keep your guests outside, invite us in and let's all agreed that Cady is going to have a good birthday.”

“Le's see the cake,” Tom demanded.

Leo sighed in annoyance. “In the house, it's not light.”

“Hope it wasn't cheap either,” Tom retorted bitingly.

He made a show of glancing at his silver watch before offering them a sardonic smile. “Well at least you've called at a decent hour. Come in then.”

Tom finally stepped away from the doorway allowing the trio and their Secret Service entourage to follow him into the house.

“Where is Cady?” Mallory pried.

Mallory gave the lobby a quick glance, she had seen it all before having visited multiple times over the past couple of years, travelling down during the holiday periods.

Tom glanced over to her and flashed a quick smile. “She's in the sitting room watching The Raccoons.”

Mallory smiled back at this. “I'll go say hi.”

Mallory scurried off leaving Tom to direct Leo and the president to the kitchen to set down the cake.

The sitting room was downstairs at the back of the house, a small room that seemed like it should serve some other purpose. It offered the same view of the stretch of grass and trees as the living room but it had no balcony and the shuttered blinds on the windows obscured the view.

Cadence and Tom had half-contemplated turning into 'their spot' but the constantly half-felt presence of Tom's deceased family was here as it was throughout the rest of the house. It was a sombre almost suffocating sense that the house was someone else's and should be for something else other than a respite for a damaged young woman and her partner.

Mallory found Cadence in the room on a low two seater chair bundled up in a swan patterned blanket that was instantly familiar to her.

“Isn't it a bit warm for that old thing?” Mallory quipped.

Cadence, who had glanced over upon hearing the door handle being turned, gave her sister a smile. “It's cosy.”

Mallory nodded. “It's also old and smelly. What have you got on under there?”

“Just my birthday suit, seemed appropriate,” Cadence retorted teasingly.

Mallory grinned back even as she shook her head. “Well I do hope you have fun running about in that in front of dad and the President of the United States.”

Cadence's smile dimmed slightly. “They're here then.”

“Of course, with your cake.”

Mallory gestured for her sister to move up the chair so she could take a seat beside her.

“I heard I missed the real party,” she mused. “Sam of course only told me half of what really happened I'm sure.” She faced her sister with another smile. “It's okay though because C.J ratted them all out. Was Josh Lyman really sick in your living room?”

Cadence dipped her head slightly before weaving a hand through her loose fair waves. “Yeah, I think so. I didn't witness it.”

Mallory's dark gaze turned serious. “Cady, I know dad and Jed have been jerks but at the same time they really do want to celebrate your birthday. Politics is their livelihood and it is coming up to election I suppose. I mean I was mad at them too but today is your birthday, you'll feel better if you put it behind you and try to have a good day.”

Cadence nodded but her gaze was still on her lap as she fidgeted with a paper creation on it.

“Tom is running for Senate,” she said quietly.

“Yeah, dad mentioned that,” Mallory admitted. “In a colourful, irate fashion but I caught the just of it. Given he quit being a congressman it's an admirable turnaround that he could even be considered to run.”

Cadence gave a small smile at this. “That's diplomatic of you.”

“Well, are you mad at him then?” Mallory pried.

Cadence sighed and continued to fold creases in the paper in her hands. “Yes,” she confessed, “though I'm trying hard not to be. I told him to run and that I would support him. He's spent two years focused on me and he gave up his career for me, I'm not going to hold him back from this.”

“Ah.”

Mallory raised her copper eyebrows slightly and offered her sister a knowing stare.

“What?” Cadence demanded. “What does ah mean?”

“That this is a guilt thing. You don't want Tom to run do you? But you will support him anyway because you feel obligated to.”

Cadence frowned again. “Mal do you think you should've been a shrink instead of a teacher?” she retorted sardonically.

“Don't evade the question Cady.”

Mallory gave her sister a playful nudge. “Look, it's your birthday and I don't want to add to your mood but Cady, you live with Tom and it seems pretty serious, can you live with being a senator's girlfriend? It's at least a five year commitment and he's not liable to quit twice, is he?”

“I have missed some of it,” Cadence admitted quietly. “The rush of being in D.C, that energy that was there in the Eisenhower, we were active and busy all the time, never a dull moment,” she mused with another small smile. “You could start your morning there and suddenly be having lunch in Alabama with the governor and then hopping on a plane to France to meet their Vice President.” Her smile widened. “They had these incredible cheese puffs over there, I had so many John got the recipe from the chef.”

“John.” Mallory honed in on Cadence's familiar speaking of the Vice President. She knew exactly who her sister meant.

Mallory knew Cadence's relationship with her former boss was decidedly complicated and a little deeper than just co-workers but she could never pinpoint anything more than that. Mallory guessed that John just had a fondness for her sister because Cadence had been there at the start of his campaign and unlike Josh, who had been there too, Cadence had returned to him.

Cadence dipped her head back to her lap and the origami piece there.

“The Vice President,” she corrected quickly. “Anyway, I don't know about Tom, I mean it wasn't the lifestyle that caused everything wrong in my life, not really, it's just it led to the exposure of it all I suppose. I mean, I was in Colombia trying to do charity work when that all happened... If I hadn't been so public the C.I.A wouldn't have tried to exploit that and I wouldn't have had to go back again but...”

Cadence trailed off and swallowed hard. She jumped suddenly when there was a soft knock on the door.

Tom opened the door and looked in curiously. “Are you two ready to join us in the living room?”

Although Tom's tone was light his blue stare was pleading.

Mallory was looking to Cadence with concern. “Sure.”

Mallory stood up and waited for Cadence to follow suit.

Cadence fumbled with the origami piece, abandoning it to the small, round table beside her. She grabbed the remote from there, turned the television off and stood up, letting the blanket fall to the chair. She revealed that she was wearing a simple but flattering midnight blue dress, plain, fitted and verging on casual with a diamond and silver necklace glittering just above the cut at her bust.

“Wow look at that,” Mallory marvelled as she reached out a hand to lift the diamond pendant which was cut to resemble a glittering star.

Cadence gave another smile before looking to Tom fondly. “Tom bought it for my birthday.”

“A star for my star,” Tom jested. He held up his hands apologetically and shook his head. “I know, I know, truly terrible.”

“Well it's beautiful even if the pun wasn't,” Mallory enthused as she released it.

Tom turned and started leading the way to the living room, pausing when he heard the doorbell chime.

“Hmm, I wonder who that could be,” he murmured. He glanced to the ladies and gave his lopsided grin. “Hopefully no more Democrats, they cleaned out my liquor cabinet last time.”

He headed for the front door leaving Mallory and Cadence to continue heading to the living room. They hesitated when Tom's loud cursing suddenly filled the house.

“Son of a bitch!”

The yell was followed by the loud slamming of the door.

\---

The tension in the room was palpable, so much so that Mallory was considering using the intervention skills she had been taught by her peers to use with children who were having a quarrel.

They sat in the living room with an awkward silence that was akin to the heavy soundless atmosphere that came when someone had died. It was a thickness in the air that came with the muggy unpleasantness of a rainy day and promised to linger for hours sullying the mood.

Tom, the unhappy host, sat cross legged, chin in his hand as he stared angrily at a wall having opted for a rage filled silence over mad mutterings about 'demon Democrats'.

Jed was standing, lingering by the windows contemplating escape to the balcony and wondering, just like Mallory, if he should use some negotiation tactics to lift the mood. He had hoped the arrival of the latest guest would do that but figured it was maybe just one too many Democrats for Tom.

The latest guest, the Vice President of the United States, sat opposite their hostess, stealing glances at her as secretively as he could. He knew coming here had been a terrible idea and yet just seeing her had caused a spark in him that he had thought long gone.

“Do you still sing Cady?” John quipped. “You used to always sing on your birthday.”  
Cadence stared back at him as her mind scrambled for an answer. She had been shell shocked by his appearance, frozen into silence when she had raced to the door to see who Tom had yelled at. Then there had been a fresh anger for Jed and Leo for not telling her that the VP was going to show up at her house. It had been all she could do to keep Tom from punching him, instead inviting John in and trying to appear less like his old lover and more like his former employee.

“Sometimes,” she admitted quietly.

“Music would be a good idea,” Mallory jumped upon the idea. She glanced about the living room before realising there was no television here. “Do you guys have a radio?”

“In the kitchen,” Tom murmured.

“Well we could get that and the cake too,” Mallory suggested.

“We may as well just go to the kitchen then,” Leo pointed out dryly.

Leo felt some guilt that his daughter's birthday wasn't exactly a thriving event but he countered to himself that Cadence probably didn't want the party lifestyle anymore. Alcohol had become too much the easy vice of distraction for her leading her dangerously close to addiction as her father had been and it had been from a party that she was kidnapped so, Leo figured, quiet and subdued was perhaps what Cadence wanted now. The thought prompted him to shoot Tom another narrowed glower, a Senate centred lifestyle was far from quiet and subdued.

“Well it would be better than here,” Jed ventured. “Cady, you can open your gifts and tell us what you do for fun when Leo and I aren't ruining your day.” He gave her a small, apologetic smile.

Leo frowned but before he could chide Jed, John spoke.

“What do you do for fun?” John pried. “If it's not karaoke and bars anymore. What can we do?” He gave Cadence an encouraging smile. “It is your birthday and I'm not going to believe that sitting in the house is your favourite thing. Come on, we're all here now Cady and at your disposal.”

Tom bristled at the man's words and gave him a scathing stare.

Cadence, to her credit, did not react to the implied double meaning of John's words. “I...” She glanced Tom's way and his stare softened at the plea in her eyes.

Tom gave Cadence the lopsided smile she favoured, damned if he would let John's presence ruin the evening.

“Air hockey,” he said. Tom looked to the others with a cheerful glimmer in his gaze. “She's very competitive too, almost took my eye out with the puck last time.”

“Air hockey,” Leo repeatedly dryly as if sounding out something that was foreign to him but he somehow knew came with an unpleasant meaning.

Tom nodded. “Yes, there's an arcade place in town.” He grinned again. “Cady likes most of those games, especially the ones that have stuffed animals as prizes. She's got three of them upstairs.”

“Right, well, we're not doing that,” Leo muttered. “Could you imagine,” he added sardonically, “the President and the Vice President in an arcade.”

Jed spied Cadence's sudden look of dismay, noticing how for a moment there had been a spark of excitement in the young woman, which was the first real show of a positive emotion he had seen in her.

“Now Leo, I am a man of the people and if I want the common people to vote for me surely I must demonstrate that I'm not so out of touch as to not enjoy something like er...” Jed glanced Cadence's way. “What was it...hockey?”

“Air hockey,” Cadence corrected with a grin.

“Sir no,” Leo protested.

“Leo, you and I killed the day here and we both know it, let's leave the funeral and make amends. Get Josh on the phone and make some arrangements so that this arcade place can be secured for us.”

“You're not really a man of the people if you chuck the people out,” Tom piped up cynically.

“I'm also not a wise man if I leave myself open for attack,” Jed countered. “There is the positive that it means Cadence can have as many turns as she likes to beat John at this air hockey thing.”

Mallory giggled. “I'm definitely taking pictures of this.”

“Sir please,” Leo pleaded.

Jed gestured to Cadence with one hand. “Leo, it is Cadence's birthday and we have made enough of a shambles of it, it's time for amends.” Jed looked to Cadence again. “This is amending isn't it Cadence?”

Cadence smiled up at him. “Yes sir.”

“Good, good. Come on Leo, don't be so stuffy, I'm sure we'll find a game you like.”

“I'm not stuffy sir!”

“Enough Leo, round up the gang of miscreants, get this place secured and make sure Josh and company know alcohol is off limits this time.”

John stood up and gave Cadence another smile. “I think I'll have a bathroom break before we leave, can you show me the way?”

Tom jumped up in a flash. “I will,” he snapped. He gestured to the living room door. “Come on.”

Tom started walking off without bothering to check if John was following.

John gave Cadence a sympathetic smile before following after the man.

It was only when the pair were in the privacy of the corridor leading to the bathroom that Tom turned to confront John.

“I have no idea why you suddenly decided to crawl out from whatever bed you've been in and come here but you don't touch her,” Tom snapped at the Vice President hotly.

John looked down to Tom with a practised smile of harmless charm. “Tom, I am here at the President's pleasure and I'll stay at Cadence's pleasure.”

John's smile widened as Tom flustered, his cheeks reddening slightly as he clenched his fists.

“She didn't miss you,” Tom grumbled. “And you can't have missed her, not one call from you.”

“That you know of,” John taunted as he sidestepped the Republican. He gestured to a door and grinned back to Tom. “Is it this one?”

“Yeah, you can continue with the shit sharing in there.”


	5. A Violent Future

Connor Temple was excited, giddy even as they raced up to the latest potential anomaly site. It was the Natural History Museum, a paradise for the young man who couldn't help but geek out just a little as they entered the extravagant lobby with its many golden arched hallways and the centrepiece skeleton of Dippy the diplodocus.

Claudia's team had already evacuated the building, no small feat as even though it was a Monday morning the museum had still been hiving with tourists and school children. As it was a large site, Claudia wasn't entirely convinced that it was fully evacuated but she now had the business of concerned police to deal with and knew that soon word would spread of the closure bringing nosy reporters.

Connor immediately rounded on the newest member of their team, Melina, with a wide smile as he gestured to the plaster cast skeleton replica with one hand. “Now here's something that hasn't changed from your day,” he quipped excitedly, “do you remember Dippy?”

Melina was already looking at the skeleton with a slightly parted mouth and a gaze mixed with both shock and fondness.

“My dad brought us here,”she murmured, “I got a Dippy toy.”

The young woman bowed her head with a smile. “It's nice that some things really don't change.”

“Speaking of dinosaurs,” Connor remarked as he stepped up to her, “I just saw that _Jurassic_ _Park_ is back in the cinemas for a retro re-reviewing, would you fancy it?”

Melina looked back at him in confusion. “Um, I haven't heard of that one,” she admitted.

“Nineties, Connor,” Stephen murmured from behind the smaller man. He cocked a serious stare at Melina and offered her a smile. “It's good if you're into that sort of thing.”

“Oh come on now, it was a blockbuster,” Abby commented. “You're underselling it Stephen.”

Connor's smile widened with Abby's enthusiasm. “How about we all go see it?” he suggested. “Remind Stephen and show Melina just how great a film it is.”

“It would be interesting to see what cinemas are like now,” Melina murmured.

“How about we find the creature and focus on the dating later,” Nick chided them.

“Oh Cutter don't get so serious,” Connor jested.

Captain Ryan gave the redhead a stern glance. “And everyone wonders why I don't want civilians involved in this,” he murmured.

Stephen gave the blonde a sympathetic smile. “No one wonders mate it's just it's a little hard to expect people to forget time travelling is a real thing and that dinosaurs aren't entering our world on a whim.” He gestured pointedly to Connor who was now gaping over a poster advertising a dinosaur exhibition. “Especially the nerdy ones,” Stephen added.

“And the time travellers,” Melina commented brightly as she stepped between them and smiled up at the brunette. “It's a little hard to not have me involved when I've literally travelled through time.”

“And got yourself injured by a giant bear,” the captain reminded her with a disapproving stare.

Melina shrugged even as her hand reached up instinctively to the hidden fresh scars the attack had left on her torso. Dr O'Hare hadn't been impressed by the wound although he had admired her dressing of it and commented dryly that she might have delayed infection by five days instead of three. He had of course insisted on cleaning and redressing it and had rechecked it a few days later to ensure it was healing properly. Although the worst was past, if she turned or stood too quickly she would feel a sharp ache where the wound was.

“What's the creature this time?” Melina quipped. “A second big bear is unlikely, right?”

“We're not sure,” Claudia confessed.

“We rarely are,” Stephen retorted sardonically with a mocking smile.

Claudia gave the man a brief frown before summoning back her determined expression of a woman in charge. “On that note, can we all please act with caution and respect- Connor this is not an excuse to touch expensive exhibits!”

At Claudia's yelling, Connor leaned back from the railing he was hanging over and withdrew his hand from the large, colourful vase contained behind it. He gave a sheepish smile that turned into an awkward snicker when he saw Abby's disapproving look.

“He's the reason for barriers isn't he?” Melina quipped sardonically as they started walking.

Stephen nodded as he matched pace with her. “And all those warnings you read and think, who was stupid enough to do this, well look no further.”

Reaching the end of the lobby, the group was prompted to divide in half to search either side. Nick gave a small smile when he noticed Claudia looking to him and Melina glancing to Captain Ryan before they made their decision over which direction to go. The four of them plus three more soldiers veered to to the right whilst Abby, Connor and Stephen headed left with another three soldiers.

“Oh wait a minute,” they heard Connor complain as he walked after Abby, “this is the fish section, the dinosaurs are on the other side.”

“He means the exhibit fellas not the creature,” Abby remarked swiftly as the soldiers tensed at Connor's words.

Claudia let out a gasp of alarm as and grabbed Nick's arm tightly as she headed through a double set of doors.

Nick grinned as he cocked his head slightly to give her a teasing stare. “It's not that real is it?”

Although he was amused he felt a small prickle of pride that the woman chose him to grasp for protection. He could smell her jasmine shower wash, faint but sweet as it mingled with her flower based perfume.

Claudia's brown eyes were frozen up in horror at a life size reconstruction of a Tyrannosaurus-Rex which was looking down upon them with hungry yellow eyes. Realising her error she released Nick's arm hastily and gave him a glower before smoothing down her grey jacket.

“Right, of course not,” she said hastily, “just checking we're all alert.”

“Well whatever we're hunting probably is now,” Ryan chided.

Melina stepped forward to peer up at the dinosaur exhibit curiously. She glanced over her shoulder to Nick. “Is it true to life?” she quipped.

Nick grinned back at the young woman. “Well I don't know,” he confessed as his grin widened, “I haven't met one yet.”

“Yet,” Claudia repeated dryly as she continued to eyeball it warily.

“Do you think they're green?” Melina pondered. “I always figured brown.”

“Camouflage,” Ryan remarked bluntly, “in the green foliage.”

He frowned when he saw Claudia, Nick and Melina all staring at him. “What? Can't I have an opinion on the appearance of a dead lizard?”

Nick winced slightly before grinning. “You were doing well too, I mean they're not lizards.”

Ryan cocked his head and gave Nick a serious stare. “Professor, what does Tyrannosaurus Rex mean?”

Melina let out a giggle. “He's got you there,” she remarked chirpily.

The sound of screams and gunfire drew their attention back to the way they had come saving Nick from answering.

“I guess it's with the fish,” Nick murmured before he raced for the doors.

Claudia was quick to run with him as if anxious that she was exposed without him. Ryan moved swiftly, bypassing the pair of redheads to sprint ahead with the other soldiers. Melina was not quite as quick to turn and follow, laboured slightly by the ache in her side from her still healing wound.

Melina skidded to a halt in the lobby, swallowing back a gasp of alarm as she saw a form blocking her path.

She had no weapon save for Claudia's kitchen knife and she doubted that was going to do much good against this thing. She was lobbying hard for a gun and to sharpen up on her shooting skills. She had had some basic lessons at the safari park but that wasn't enough to convince Captain Ryan, Lester or anyone else that she could be armed with a gun. The captain had commented dryly that her permit probably wasn't valid in this age.

The creature was on four long limbed legs, it had a spindly form with a smooth, grey skin and a diamond shaped head that was full of sharp teeth.

Melina blinked in confusion as she tried to take the thing in. It was like nothing she had ever seen before, its eyes or rather lack of were perhaps the most disturbing part of it, it had bumps where they should have been and yet judging from the way it cocked its head about somehow Melina knew it was aware of her.

The sound of gunfire brought Melina back to her senses. As the creature cocked its head and let out a shriek at the noise, Melina took her chance to run. She veered to the right and ran for the stairs without looking back.

Panting and gasping the woman hurried through a new set of doors at the top of the stairs, slamming them hard behind her as she heard the sound of claws scraping on hard ground indicating a fast pursuit.

The woman searched for a place of concealment and let out a sudden scream as she faced with something much more terrible than the beast in the lobby. Before her was the monstrous form of a black scaled snake.

–

For a moment Claudia was almost deafened by the gunfire. There were shards of glass everywhere. Water treated with preservatives had leaked onto the floor. Claudia had jumped when the long, damp tentacle of a giant squid slid out and almost brushed against her. For a moment she had feared another monster before realising it was an escaped exhibit.

One soldier was down, lying propped against a collection of ancient fish bones and shark teeth, he bore a nasty collection of slash marks down his chest. Their foe's claws had been sharp enough to cut through his kevlar.

“What are we dealing with?” Nick demanded.

“A future predator!” Connor advised.

Connor had backed up against Abby, nervous as his eyes roved about the area frantically, searching from floor to ceiling for the creature. It was a beast they were only mildly familiar with and not one Connor had any desire to learn anymore about. Curious as he was about all beasts anomaly related even he didn't think close encounters with this species was worth the knowledge they might gain.

Abby looked only mildly more in control than Connor as she searched the shadows of the exhibits warily. Her blue eyes fell upon a stuffed crocodile and she pointed. “There!”

It was a blur of grey flesh, claws and teeth. The creature moved with great speed, rushing across the floor before leaping for an attack.

Everyone scattered to try and evade the monster as it tried to seek out the weakest one of them to pursue.

Bullets cut through the air resulting in a shriek of annoyance at the noise along with a splash of dark red blood that let them know it had been injured.

Nick looked to the blood spatter curiously as he wondered where the thing had gone. That was one of many dangers from the future predator, despite their size they had an uncanny knack for concealing themselves.

A scream distracted them from their search. It was distant, barely audible and yet just loud enough for Nick, Claudia and a few of the soldiers to detect it.

Captain Ryan scanned the room hastily. “Damn it where's Melina?” he snapped.

“Wasn't she with you?” Connor queried innocently.

The blonde soldier gave the young man an angry glower prompting Connor to throw his hands up in a gesture of surrender.

“Not an accusation mate just an observation,” Connor said hastily.

Captain Ryan shook his head in annoyance before he headed for the doors they had come through followed closely by Nick.

Stephen contemplated following but figured he was better continued to search for the predator stalking them here.

Nick and Ryan hurried upstairs tracking the source of the scream and entered through a double set of doors at the top of the stairs.

They couldn't see anyone present in the room but Nick immediately guessed at the reason behind the scream. He pointed wearily with one hand to the new display of a life-size construction of a Titanaoboa.

“Damn it,” Ryan cursed quietly.

The soldier looked to the thing with a small measure of disgust. To him it was an obvious fake, a little too shiny about the scales indicating a combination of resin and paint, lifeless in the eyes and poised in a coiled up position rather than one of attack with only part of its neck stretched out to expose its head, obviously a means of keeping it from taking up too much space. He could understand however how Melina would have been instantly triggered by the sight of it.

“Let's search the area for her,” Nick suggested. “She's probably in hiding.”

Ryan nodded back although he was a little chagrined not to be the one giving the orders.

The pair separated, moving slowly through the exhibitions on display.

Nick tensed as he heard a sound, a slight rustle of cloth suggesting movement, prompting him to walk hastily round a glass exhibition of fossilised eggs. His eyes widened at the sight of Melina, shrunk down as small as she could make herself, hunched back in the corner two exhibitions formed whilst clutching tightly at a knife.

Nick approached the woman slowly, wary of startling her further. He moved almost in a crouch, ready to reach out a calm touch when she turned her head up sharply without warning to face him.

“Get down,” she ordered bluntly.

Her voice was quiet and her eyes wide with terror.

Nick looked back at her in astonishment, certain that the statue of the giant snake couldn't be the only cause of her fear.

The redhead tensed as he felt a cold sweat bud on the back of his neck. It was instinct and he knew it, his primal senses picking up on something his logical mind was ignorant to, activating the flight or fight mode in him. He could see the woman's pupils dilating and realised that there was something else with them.

“Duck.”

The word was quiet and calm but Nick heard it and obeyed. He had his gun out but he didn't think he would be able to turn fast enough.

Ryan approached softly, treading as gently as one could in black army boots. He was disturbed by what he saw. It was a future predator just as Connor had said, the same one Melina had encountered in the lobby but it was just standing there, stoic and calm as it watched something. It was its calmness that unnerved Ryan, it almost appeared like the thing was intrigued, perhaps studying something.

Ryan raised his gun, knowing from experience that it was dangerous even though it hadn't attacked.

Ryan didn't see the knife being thrown, he just saw the creature pull back suddenly and sharply with a violent, high pitched wail.

The blade of Melina's knife had embedded itself in the front of its large skull, thrown with enough force to cause injury but it was doubtful it had gone deep enough to be deadly.

Melina watched in a quiet horror as the creature reared up on two legs, reaching its clawed front limbs up in rapid succession in an attempt to find the blade.

Nick watched too, part of him wanted to grab Melina and run but he knew how fast these things could be. It would be upon them in a flash, ripping them to shreds before they made it two feet. So the redhead raised his gun, ready to attempt a defence.

Ryan sprayed the room with bullets, purposely targetting the glass exhibits. It had the desired effect as with the sudden noise the predator had a sensory overload. From all directions it sensed sound, too much for it to focus upon, for those split seconds whilst its brain hummed pain it also screamed of danger.

The predator bolted with another screech but Ryan wasn't willing to let it escape.

The bullets followed again but this time the blonde aimed as well as he could at the creature's skull. It was the only vulnerability they were aware of, despite having lean forms with no indication of armour, it took a lot of bullets to do any kind of real damage to the things.

The soldier felt an unfamiliar surge of panic as it started to come towards him, anger replacing its own urge to flight as it determined to stop this attacker. It was fast, bouncing along the ground rather than running as it moved. An apex predator, Ryan knew that nature even if he didn't know the specifics of the future predator. Ryan still understood the simple instinct it followed- kill or be killed. There was no room for co-existence with this thing, it dominated or it died.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The creature hit the floor with an agonising cry, its body skidding across the wood as its bullet indented skull smacked hard on the floor. Its limbs twitched awkwardly as it made a feeble attempt to right itself but the damage was done.

Ryan stared down at the thing numbly. He didn't feel his usual sense of victory, he just felt an uncomfortable vulnerability as he saw its mouth open exposing several needle like fangs and he realised how close he had come to his own end. There was always a vague sense of the possibility of fatality when dealing with the predators from the anomaly but something about this creature had Ryan feeling his own sense of mortality more and he loathed it.

Nick rose up slowly to peer over the glass cabinets where he and Melina had remained. He spied the large, still twitching corpse on the floor and determined that the predator was dying.

The redhead turned his attention back to Melina and wasn't surprised to see that she still looked shocked.

Nick offered a hand down to her and when she glanced up to him he gave a small smile.

“It's dead,” he assured.

Melina grasped his hand and allowed him to help her to her feet.

“What is it?” she demanded quietly. “I haven't seen that in any books.”

Nick's smile faded slightly as he contemplated an answer. Given this was Melina's future he wasn't sure how she'd handle the news of another future. He wondered curiously how far ahead the anomalies extended into the future and just how set in stone the future could be. After all what hadn't happened yet could theoretically be changed surely, unless one happened to get stuck in the future. Melina's circumstance added a new layer to the theory, for if she was able to return to her own time as she believed then she could influence her future which was their present. Nick contemplated that there were only two ways this could make sense, one- she created an alternate timeline that they would probably never come to have knowledge of or two- she didn't get to go home.

“It's another creature from the anomalies,” Nick retorted, purposely vague.

Nick led the way over to the captain, pausing when he realised Melina's footsteps weren't echoing behind his. He glanced over his shoulder and saw her staring over at the Titanaoboa display.

Melina clenched her fists as she gazed over to the giant snake with terror. She knew now that it was fake, it had been motionless the entire time after all but she still found the thing abhorrent. She could see it moving through the water for her sister, a brown reptilian eye glancing her way briefly before it delivered death to her friends and family.

“It shouldn't be real,” she murmured with a shake of her head. She glanced over to Nick with wide eyes before her stare turned apologetic as her mouth wavered towards a weak smile. “I get why civilians shouldn't be involved, it's just one big creature after another but God damn it what else do I do?”

Nick looked back at her sympathetically. For all the disagreements their group had about Melina and what she should be doing they could all at least agree that she was definitely displaced in every sense of the word. Unfortunately, he had no answer for her. There was no quick fix for her problems.

“One day at a time,” Nick advised quietly before he headed back to the captain.

Melina walked awkwardly towards them, keeping her head turned to the snake as if fearful it would pounce at her if she looked away. “I don't even know how my sister died, I went under the water before it happened,” she said softly. “It was so fast in the water.”

Ryan gave Nick a wary look but withheld his grumble about civilians. “Let's get back to the others,” he advised.

Nick cocked a small smile. “Claudia isn't going to be too happy with the mess,” he mused. “Priceless artefacts can't be easily repaired from bullet damage.”

“Would you have preferred I preserved the history and let it kill you both?” the captain remarked sardonically.

“Well now,” Melina piped up as she stepped between them, “haven't you technically preserved history by saving me?”

Nick let out a soft chuckle at this whilst the soldier shook his head with a frown.

The trio started to retreat to the doors. Melina kept glancing back to the snake, unhappy with having it at her back even if it was fake.

Ryan let out a heavy sigh as he saw what she was doing and was forced to stand and hold the door open for her to save her walking into it.

“You know, there's another one of those predators about,” Ryan reminded them grimly. “I could do with both hands for my gun.”

Melina turned her head back to him as she escaped the room. She gave him a gentle smile. “I thought chivalry had made a comeback.”

The captain released the door and gripped his gun with both hands in response.

“Don't fall down the stairs,” he grumbled before he headed for them.

They stopped suddenly as they heard a loud clatter of footsteps before Connor, Stephen and Abby appeared in a run in the lobby.

“Oh you're alright!” Connor called excitedly as he grinned up to them. He gestured to Stephen with a wave of his hand. “He got it!”

Stephen gave a proud grin but was silent as he let Connor brag for him.

“It nearly took a chunk out of Claudia but Stephen got it, clean shot straight through its skull!”

Nick immediately looked concerned and started to hurry down the steps. “Is Claudia alright?”

Connor waved off his concerns. “Yeah she's fine mate,” he dismissed. “You should have seen it, just one shot and down it went!”

“Hmm, and you were saying civilians just aren't cut out for this work,” Melina teased quietly as she sneaked a glance up to Ryan. “How many bullets did you use?”

“Too many to keep you and Nick safe,” Ryan grunted back.

Melina smiled again. “Oh come on now, don't get crabby.”

“Crabby?” he echoed.

“What, is that not a term in this time? Does it mean something else?”

Ryan shook his head again. “It means what you think,” he retorted flatly before he headed down the stairs.

“Melina!” Connor greeted her happily. “Where did you go? One of the soldiers was saying you saw a pretty good looking Rex, made Claudia jump anyway.” He snickered at this. “It won't be a patch on the ones in _Jurassic Park_.”

“Oh. Right...” Melina pushed back two long strands of hair on either side of her face. “I...” She gestured back to the stairs with her right hand. “There was a creature.”

“Another predator,” Ryan explained. His blue gaze was on the young woman, he saw that she was tense and figured she was trying to process what had happened.

Anomaly attacks were like water off a duck's back for everyone else here, even a future predator didn't do much to phase them once all was said and done. As long as there were no fatalities, they all just got on with it like it was another day in the office but Ryan could understand how that mindset wasn't easy to pick up on for a newcomer.

“How many bullets?” Stephen queried curiously with a cocky stare.

“One knife,” Melina blurted out, “mine and then maybe some help from the captain and his rifle,” she added quietly.

“A knife,” Connor marvelled with wide eyes. “What kind?”

“Just a regular old kitchen knife, given how little Claudia used it I was surprised it was still sharp,” Melina admitted.

“Do you know how to use knives?” Abby pried with an intrigued look. “I mean as weapons.”

“Well I used the odd machete for clearing stubborn growth on the park,” Melina retorted, “and it didn't hurt to have it on hand in case you strayed into hyena territory.”

Connor let out a chuckle. “So the kitchen knife, not quite a knife compared to a machete hmm?” He gave a wide grin. “That's not a knife, this is a knife!” he exclaimed in a bad put on Australian accent.

Melina looked back at him in confusion whilst Stephen rolled his eyes and Abby shook her head scornfully.

Connor gestured out to Melina. “Oh come on, you must get that one, it's from the eighties! _Crocodile Dundee_!”

Melina shook her head. “Nope but I was nineteen-eighty-four remember? Not the entire eighties.” She frowned at this. “I missed most of the eighties really,” she realised.

Connor's smile faded as he lowered his hand. “Right, well it's a good film, we'll have to watch it but dinosaurs first. Oh hey,” he suddenly exclaimed as his eyes filled with glee, “wait a minute, what about _Jaws_ , you must have seen that right?”

Melina nodded. “Sure, first date with my high school boyfriend.” She pulled a face of revulsion. “It was kind of gnarly, not a film for a first date.”

“Gnarly?” Stephen mimicked with a teasing glint in his blue stare.

Abby gave the taller man a soft dig in the side with her elbow.

“Oh that would be a brilliant date!” Connor marvelled. “That movie never gets old! Same director you know, _Jaws_ and _Jurassic Park_.”

“Huh.” Melina suddenly looked uncomfortable again and her frown returned. “I...I guess I kind of didn't consider people still existing. I mean I thought about my parents but I suppose all the celebrities I knew, they've all kept going in the world, growing, changing, only I got stopped in time. That's...weird. Um...I don't think I'm up for anymore dinosaurs today, I'm starting to feel like one.”

If the young woman hadn't said it with such bitterness Connor might have groaned at her wordplay but instead his face filled with dismay.

Hearing footsteps, they glanced over to see Nick and Claudia emerging from the aquatic exhibit accompanied by the soldiers who were supporting their wounded member. Claudia was already on the phone, gaze full of exasperation as she listened to Lester yell.

“But you've got to see what a cinema's like, come on, it'll be fun,” Connor tried to urge the young woman.

Melina shook her head apologetically. “I'm sorry, I think I just need some fresh air and open space for a bit. Another time though,” she added, “I really would like to see what cinemas are like.”

Connor nodded even as he continued to look distraught. He glanced in Abby's direction. “What about you Abby, are you still up for it?”

Abby resisted the urge to reject the man as she saw the hope budding in his eyes. She knew he had been looking forward to the film as it was a firm favourite of his. “Sure Connor, why not?”

Connor's smile returned. “Perfect, we can split the popcorn.”

Abby frowned but Connor missed it as had hurried over to Nick.

“We need to find the anomaly,” Nick said sternly. “We'll have to search the building.”

Connor winced and glanced at his watch. “Alright, we've got two hours before the next showing at the cinema, let's get it done!”

Nick frowned, the grooves at the corners of his mouth deepening when Connor grinned at him.

“Come on Cutter,” he said excitedly, “it's a date.”

“It's not a date Connor!” Abby chided loudly.

“It is though,” Connor murmured quietly as he continued to grin at Nick.

“Work first then play,” Claudia admonished as she snapped her phone closed.

Well we'd one predator here and one a floor up,” Stephen remarked.

“But that one was down here in the lobby to begin with,” Melina advised.

“Right, then the anomaly is probably on this floor,” Stephen ventured.

“Well it's definitely not with the fish,” Connor said firmly. “Did you guys check the dinosaur sector?”

“Not really,” Nick admitted, “we heard your gunfire.”

Connor smiled again before turning on both feet in a sliding motion. “Great I can see the dinosaurs now!”

The group started heading after Connor but Melina paused and glanced towards the sign for the toilets opposite the entrance to the aquatic section.

Melina hung back this time, following at the back of the group but just in front of two soldiers. They were down to five soldiers and their captain now as one had escorted their injured member out of the museum for first aid.

Ryan glanced back and arched a pale blonde eyebrow as he saw Melina following at a slower pace. “Had enough of the dinosaurs?”

Melina gave him a smile but there was no spark to this one and the corners of her mouth wavered slightly. “Is there such a thing as a quota for dinosaurs in a day?”

They bypassed the Tyrannosaurus-Rex and a collection of replicated skeletons on display.

“Here it is!” Connor's cry of awe was their alert to it.

It hovered near the wall hanging of a Triceratops' fossilised head, illuminating the grand display with a flash of gold light. It was a fading shimmer in the air, twinkling and humming lightly as it started to buzz out of existence.

Melina stared at it with both wonderment and fear. She remembered the odd feeling as she had slipped through a twinkle of lights in the warm, the shift in temperature in the water and the sudden sensation of being elsewhere. Except it wasn't just elsewhere, it was another time as well. She took a step forward, putting herself between Stephen and Abby and before the fading portal.

“What makes them?” she wondered aloud.

“We don't know yet,” Abby retorted quietly. “In fact we really don't know much about them but we're trying.”

The soldiers stood at the ready with their guns aimed, waiting until it finally blinked out of sight.

With one finally flicker the anomaly was gone as if it had never been.

“And you don't know when they might come back?”

Abby glanced sympathetically at the young woman and shook her head. “No, if there's a pattern we haven't cracked it yet.”

Melina bowed her head. “I see.”

“Well at least that's over,” Claudia commented with relief. “Now I just have to assess the cost of all the damage.”

“All the damage to irreplaceable fossils and artefacts,” Connor mused.

Nick glanced Ryan's way at this and gave him a grin before he remarked, “now Connor, everything truly irreplaceable is right in this room and was preserved.”

Stephen only just stifled a snort at this earning him a questioning look from Abby.

“Touching Cutter,” Stephen sneered.

“Anyway,” Connor interrupted chirpily, “Abby we have just enough time to get some snacks and I'm starving.”

“Hurray popcorn for dinner,” Abby murmured sardonically.

Connor stepped up to Melina and gave her a hopeful look. “Sure you don't want to come?”

Melina nodded. “Yes but thanks, I do appreciate the offer,” she said sincerely.

Claudia looked her way with slight concern. “Well I have to report to Lester again and start sorting out damage control here. You've got the key to my apartment, I'm sure I can arrange a lift back there for you.”

“It's on my way,” Captain Ryan remarked.

Claudia raised her eyebrows slightly at this but refrained from responding.

Nick looked to Claudia. “Stephen and I will help with the report,” he offered.

“What?” Stephen spluttered in annoyance.

“It can't all be action, there's paperwork involved too,” Nick said with a sparkle of mirth in his eyes.

Stephen frowned back at his superior.

“You could always come see the dinosaur movie,” Abby suggested.

Connor couldn't quite conceal his look of dismay at this and fixed his gaze upon Stephen as he waited for the man's response.

Stephen smiled and shook his head. “No thanks.”

Only Melina noticed as Connor gave a fist punch to the air and mimed a 'yes'. It made her smile.

“Well let's get going then,” Connor said hastily to Abby. He was determined that they leave now before anyone else could tag along.

The group started to disperse at this, Melina heading in the captain's wake back to the waiting cars and trucks parked outside.


End file.
